Dad wrote it in 2006. A boy and an alien, both of whom need Father Christmas to be real for entirely different reasons, going to find out whether he is.
It went to Berlinale Animation Days in February as part of the European Film Market’s British animation spotlight, and it is now in development with Space Age Films for Christmas 2028. Simone Giampaolo directs, with a screenplay by Keiron Self and Giles New, produced by Robert Chandler.
There is something rather special about bringing this idea of Dad’s to life. He always believed science fiction should inspire wonder, aspiration and positivity, and a story with flying saucers, aliens and Santa Claus in it is about as pure an expression of that as he ever wrote down.
It has taken twenty years to find the right partner and the right moment. That is not unusual. Some ideas need the world to catch up with them, and a Christmas film about belief needed to arrive at a time when it would land with real emotional weight rather than sentiment.
Another unmade idea of my father’s now in development: Hit Squad.
